What May Have Been
by beauifulliketherain
Summary: Belle refuses to leave. Part 2 of: Happy Endings for an Imp and a Princess
1. A Hopeful Ending

'Go.'

In the time he has left her alone, she had imagined many scenarios of how this might play out, but this had not been one of them. He had said forever, had always emphasized on it whenever he had the slightest suspicion that she wanted to run away. How could he so easily tell her to just 'go'?

Of course things have changed. Changed the moment her lips met his, and now , for her, there was no going back. It was true love, and she would convince him of it or die trying.

So it was that, in that moment, her decision is made.

'No. You promised me forever."

-#-

For three days, Belle sees nothing of Rumpelstiltskin.

She finds everything cleaned, her meals prepared. In the dungeon, she finds a note telling her of her new room, not the one in the servants wing she previously occupied but one of the castle's more luxurious bedrooms.

She knows he is still somewhere in the castle. It takes three days to work up the courage to find him, and even then she has only a vague idea of what she is going to say.

She finds him, of course. She always can.

"I won't kiss you.' she says, before he has even looked up from his work.

And apparently he has been gathering his courage as well, because the first words that leave his mouth are, "I'm sorry."

He sighs, and Belle remains silent, sensing an inner battle.

And then he says the unexpected."I promised to tell you a story."

And he does. He tells her the important parts, and the not-so important ones. He tells her of his quest, and admits that he never considered finding love. He says he'll understand if she hates him for what he's done, but he wants her to know the truth.

Because she is his True love as much as he is hers.

Belle listens to it all. And then she says. "Stop trying to get rid of me. Because its not going to be that easy."

He looks at her with wide amber eyes.

"Marry me."

"I thought you'd never ask."

And they don't kiss.

-#-

"It'll only be a few minutes, now."

The purple cloud over the land hovers ominously closer as Belle turns to face her true love.

"I wish there had been some other way."

She knows the necessity of this curse as much as her husband, but that does not mean she approves of what the curse means- twenty-eight years is a long time, even when time itself stands still.

Rumpelstiltskin looks at her, his wife and their daughter. _Their daughter_ , this beautiful angel with his ( _and Bae's_ ) brown eyes and Belle's chestnut curls, and wants nothing more than to promise no harm will ever come to either of them .. but she understands, and soon, his family may be complete.

"We have our assurances from Regina," he says instead. "We will not be separated."

The plan had to be rearranged, just slightly, to allow for this family he had never intended, but those are minor inconveniences, and everything is now to his liking.

They stare out of the tower window as a world is swallowed up and neither breaks the silence for a while. Magic like this deserves its own reverence, for all the sheer power that swallows a world.

Finally the child in Belle's arms stirs, opens sleepy chocolate eyes, and fusses slightly. Belle sighs as she rocks her back to sleep.

"You think she'll have magic of her own?"Belle asks, petting the baby"s curls. She is named _Hestia_ , fitting for what her parents have found in her and each other. It is a name they both love, found in Belle's books.

"Daughter of the Dark One, born of True Love. Of course she does. Quite powerful magic , I believe. But we won't see it in that world."

Belle smiles.

"No, there we will be just an ordinary family."

Family. His family, wife and daughter and son.

"I love you." he tells her.

"I know."

And then purple smoke surrounds them, and they are being carried away. To a land without magic, to a town called Storybrooke...and if, just this once, fate is kind, to a happy ending.

 **XxXxXxX**

 **A little bit I wrote, just because I could.**


	2. A Flash of Time

**Set in the same universe, very early in Belle's time at the castle.**

 **XxXxXxX**

"Careful, dearie." Rumpelstiltskin cautioned, without glancing up from his work. "That poison could burn away your hand, you know. "

Belle placed the vial with the clear green liquid rather hastily back on the shelf and took a few steps backward for good measure. For all she knew, Rumpelstiltskin might be serious.

"What are you making?"she asked, deciding to observe his work instead, but keeping a distance from the table.

Rumpelstiltskin grinned. "This, dearie, is a sleeping potion. Potent enough for men, and princesses, and dragons.. and annoying maids.."

Belle frowned. "You know I'm going to clean this place, however you try to frighten me, right?"

"I'm starting to see that..Careful!"

The last was an exclamation as he darted forward, but the damage was already done. The orb her hand had brushed against as she turned tumbled to the floor and shattered in a shower of crimson glass.

Belle's hand flew to her mouth. "I'm so sorry! "

He shook his head, " We'll deal with that later. Right now, listen to me, carefully. "

"You're going to have a vision," he told her, urgently, "most probably of the future. Don't panic, close your eyes."

As soon as she did, another time flashed before her eyes.

-#-

He came forward to steady her, fearing she would collapse, but she flinched away, looking at him with fearful blue eyes. She was trembling, her eyes filled with tears. A knife twisted in his stomach.

"You..you..."she couldn't finish the words, running almost blindly from the room. As if she couldn't stand the sight of him.

He stared, still transfixed in shock but made no move to follow. She _should_ be afraid of him, but never had been, and somewhere along the way he had gotten used to the notion that this one girl was the only one who would never flinch from him in fear, irrespective of fearsome reputation, hideous appearance and morbid quips. Perhaps, secretly, he had even come to enjoy the rare phenomenon.

What in all the hells had she _seen_?

-#-

As soon as Belle was safely behind the closed door of her room (now no longer a dungeon), she dropped on the bed and began to sob.

When she was done, she steadied her breathing, washed her face and decided she needed proof. She knew the future was not set in stone, that outcomes depended on actions. Perhaps her vision had been something that would never truly be?

Just then, there was a knock on her door.

-#-

As he wandered the halls, Rumpelstiltskin what might happen that she was so afraid of.

If the curse was cast, then broken as he planned, he would probably no longer hold Belle to her deal. After all,she deserved a chance at finding her happy ending too.

If his plans failed, she would grow old in this castle, with only him for company. And while that would have depressed anyone beyond measure, Belle had been shocked. He knew she already understood the deal, so that couldn't be what had caused this.

Finally admitting defeat, he turned his steps toward her room.

-#-

The Dark One waited for her permission to enter.

"What did you see?"he asked, gently, when she had given it.

She looked up at him from her place at the windowsill. Her tone was dry as she spoke.

"I saw us, together. In bed."

"What?!"

"It was this castle, only a room I didn't recognize. You were.."

By this time, Rumpelstiltskin had somewhat recovered the ability to speak.

"Belle..I would _never.."_ his gaze was almost pleading ." I am a monster in many ways, but ."

"I couldn't believe it either."she told him. "But this future, its not certain, is it?"

She was calm now.,and perhaps somewhat ashamed of her outburst. He had given her no reason to be afraid of him. It had just been..too much to take in at once.

"It's best if you forget this, Belle. And I _swear_.."

"That's fine." she replied. "It was just barely a flash."

"No," he told her, "Knowing the future can be dangerous."

Belle nodded. As Rumple prepared to do the spell. it flashed before her eyes: the only thing she hadn't understood. A flash of gold. Then her mind was blank again.


End file.
